One increasingly popular form of PR and a wonderful way to become a thought leader in your area of expertise is podcasting.
It’s a modern way of saying that you are running your own radio show, yet it’s a show that you will have to build yourself, run yourself, and promote yourself — and if you are not prepared to put in the time, energy, and money to do that then don’t bother.
Like any other PR tactic, podcasting requires commitment and consistency to gain traction and visibility over time.
How do I know this? Because I’ve done it, and I’ve mentored clients to do this, and I run some of their podcasts, too.
Podcasting works if you’ve got a long-term mindset to achieve success and here’s why it works.
As a society globally, we are increasingly choosing our own forms of entertainment based around the tools at our disposal, tools that really did not exist when I started my media consultancy 17 years ago this month.
Today, if you can’t find the TV or radio show that speaks to you or showcases your niche or your sector, you can create it. For me, and for 1000s of others, that’s an amazing opportunity to stand out and to lead from the front in your business or organization.
There are so many famous people globally who used these tools to be seen and heard, and it’s led to huge fame for them. These include Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran, MrBeast, and many, many more.
However, if you dwell on those big names, then you can soon get overwhelmed and feel that you will never achieve heights like that. Yet here’s the thing — you don’t have to.
When you have a podcast of that size, it becomes a “thing” in and of itself and not just part of what you do. It can make a huge sum of money for you — and that’s great, but it can become all that you do. You have to keep feeding that “beast.” For many of us, and for many brands, that’s not the goal.
We don’t need to look at those names and think, “I’ll never be that big.” It’s okay to think that it’s another PR tool, another tactic by which you can be seen and heard and respected for your expertise. You have to approach podcasting by staying in your lane and trusting that with consistency and commitment, you can build an audience.
Is Podcasting Worth Considering?
The audience and the appetite for podcast content are growing. There are an estimated 546 million listeners worldwide — who wouldn’t want to attract some of that audience to you, your brand, or your business?
The UK has lagged behind other major countries when it comes to podcast listeners, but it’s still growing, with an estimated 21.2 million listeners for the latest year I can find figures for (2022), so that’s not even an up-to-date estimate. The figures for the USA will be much, much higher.
As this is a growing area, it may be that there are not many podcasts that cover your area of expertise. In my area of PR (public relations), there are not many. When I first did some research in 2021, the letters PR threw up Professional Rugby, which, of course, has nothing to do with my area of expertise or interest.
Most podcasts were around “marketing,” which, in my world, is simply another generic word that comes under the umbrella of PR. I saw an opportunity to be different.
This is my first tip: if you are considering launching a podcast, do some initial research around your area of expertise. Are there many podcasts covering your subject matter? Are there many if you drill down into the various areas of your subject matter? Do they have the same tone that you wish to achieve? Are their guests any good?
Since launching my own podcast, PR Not BS, I’ve not had millions of downloads (in fact, 5,061 over 92 episodes), but at least once a month, I’ll be approached by a PR expert from the USA asking to be a guest, let alone those based in the UK.
Some I’ve said “yes” and welcomed them. In every case, I’ve asked why would they want to be on a podcast run by a backwater journalist from a place in the UK most of you have never heard of? The answer is twofold — there aren’t many podcasts talking about real practical PR, and the title of the podcast appealed to them.
Now, I get requests on an almost weekly basis from other PR experts — some far more experienced than me, running much bigger businesses — to be a guest on my show, and I can afford to be choosy. This, even now, feels very odd because I’m still a backwater journalist based in a small UK town you’ve never heard of…
But I’ve also become a podcaster, therefore an influencer in my field. I’ve been asked often to speak on local and regional media around PR issues or PR fails or successes because the credibility of having an established podcast sends out a signal about me while I’m sleeping.
That’s the thing here. A podcast speaks for you and about you when you least expect it.
What Are the Keys to Success in Podcasting for PR Credibility?
I’ve already said to do some due diligence so you can come up with an area of expertise and a title that speaks quickly to that. I don’t believe in being super niche because you need to think longterm — can you sustain that topic over many episodes over many years?
My other key thing is to commit to being consistent. Can you do an episode a week, two a month, or one a month? Frankly, I wouldn’t do less than that because people won’t want to wait three months to hear from you. You must be honest about this and look to the long term. It’s easy if you’ve got time now to, say, an episode a week. However, you will get more visible, and you will be busier, so you need to set expectations for your future audience and ensure it’s a time scale you can maintain long-term.
For me, I opted for a hard-hitting launch (12 episodes for the 12 days of Christmas) and then went to two per month, and I set that expectation from the start. I batch-record these episodes where possible and occasionally do an extra one outside of those recording days if something comes up. This way, it’s one full day per quarter where I just focus on my podcast — and now my aligned “vodcast” as I video each one, too. So be realistic for at least five years ahead.
Be authentic and original. This is a modern way of saying “be yourself.” Move away from any feeling that you have to “look” or “behave” in a certain way — you must be yourself. As humans, we are smart when it comes to authenticity and originality. We tune in to hear real voices, real experiences, and to be nosey. In my case, I’m not at all corporate, I’m blunt, I can be very direct, and in the world of PR, which can be full of BS and false promises and wishy-washy rubbish, I just cannot be like that, and I have had some “disagreements” on my podcasts with people around “real PR.”
If you are going to do this, especially as a bigger business, choose the personalities to manage this project, and don’t be afraid to allow them to be free. You do, though, have to consider the law of the land where you are based. As a general rule of thumb, don’t be dismissive of or rude about any named individual who is alive (defamation).
Be ready to promote your podcast. If you are going to do this and create a podcast, you need to tell people about it and keep reminding them. In a crowded market place only the odd few will just “turn up” to listen. So let your audience know when it’s starting, about each episode, the various milestones along the way, and any unexpected positive outcomes. It’s called PR!
If you do not do these things, you will become someone who is “podfading,” and you’ll be numbered among the 50 percent of podcasts that simply fizzle out.
What Does Podcast Success Look Like?
This is different for all of us. If you are lucky enough to be one of the few podcasts that go super viral, then good for you, and fill your boots with that success. I applaud you, I want to learn from you and perhaps up my own game a little!
If you are like the rest of us, what is your motivation? For me, it’s another string to my bow of my own PR and also allows me to educate and teach my clients to do this, too. I’m building an audience that is growing organically, so it sits well alongside my other activities. I also believe I need to walk my talk and not just tell clients to do things that I’m not prepared to embrace and try myself.
This brings people to me who could be clients or individuals who want my media training or business mentoring. It allows me to flex my journalistic and TV muscles and showcase my contact base, and it also allows me to showcase my own clients from time to time. Now, I get strangers contacting me regularly to be on my podcast — sometimes wildly inappropriate for my subject matter, and I will often say “no.” Being able to make that choice is, in itself, a sign of success.
Your goals may be very different but do set those goals so you can see success as it arrives. Be very clear, for most of us, it will not mean huge financial returns.
My Podcast Statistics
My podcast is modest, there’s no getting away from it. However I share these statistics in the hope it inspires someone somewhere to ‘be more’ and not let fear get in the way. My success has come even with modest results.
At the time of writing this, I’ve had 5,061 downloads across 92 episodes, which is an average of 55 downloads per episode. My top five podcasts to date have been:
5. My trailer — to explain my aims and vision — 97 downloads.
4. Understanding the Story of a Trans Woman (Katie Neeves) — 98 downloads.
3. PR Brilliance with National (UK) Journalist Jill Foster — 106 downloads.
2. My No BS PR Predictions for 2022 (I do these each year) — 121 downloads
1. Do You Feel Safe In Wiltshire? With ex police officer Mike Rees — 244 downloads.
My top apps where people access this content are Apple, Buzzsprout, web browser, Spotify, and unknown. My global interest is 81 percent Europe (not surprising), 10 percent North America (thanks, everyone), then Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
There are some quirky stats, such as 15 downloads from Canada, 75 from Manchester, UK (I’m in the South West of the UK), 10 from Senegal, and one each from American Samoa, Nepal, and Liechtenstein!
And Finally
In the UK, current affairs and news podcasts tend to be very popular, but at the time of writing, the number 1 podcast is The Rest is History.
Last year, I interviewed Tom Holland, the historian, totally oblivious to his podcast, as he was giving a talk at an event where I was running the PR. We got chatting, and it turned out we started our podcasts at about the same time. Tom asked me how many downloads I had had. I told him, at that time, it was about 4,000.
I then made the mistake of asking him the same question. With some hesitation, he responded with “60 million.” Oh…
Yes, I actually did interview the man who, with his colleague, has the most successful history podcast in the world and the top UK podcast across all genres…
Yet, Tom still encouraged me to continue, and I’m still here!
Fiona Scott is a Grit Daily Leadership Network member and award-winning no-nonsense journalist, speaker, blogger, media consultant & TV producer/director, addicted to stories since 1982. Worked in newspapers, radio and television on current affairs & investigative stories. BS free zone.
